State+Aid

**How are you going to pay for college in** **Florida?** 
 * __Florida State Aid__

Table of Contents: Click a Title to Learn More about a Program ** flat

Take a look at the Florida Student Financial Aid Website:



Understanding the Financial Aid Process

__Programs offered by the state of Florida__

*Merit Based †Need Based ‡Minority/Ethnic Based

=**Bright Futures **= * For information and requirements, check out the website: ==

In 1997, the Florida legislature created the Florida’s Bright Futures program. It is a merit-based program awarded to high school students for their academic achievements during high school. It provides funding for eligible students to attend postsecondary institutions in Florida. Eligibility and award categories are based on test scores and GPA. It is totally funded by the Florida Lottery. · [|Want to Save Bright Futures? Try a Little Competition] · [|2010 Bright Futures brochure] · [|Changes beginning summer 2009] · [|UCF Today Changes in Bright Futures] · [|The Chronicle : Where Dreamers Come to Die] · [|College Officials Fear Changes To Bright Futures Could Impact Neediest Students] · [|Florida's Bright Futures Renewal]

Financed by the Florida Lottery == =media type="youtube" key="yaDhZrunc08" height="385" width="480" = With number of awards increasing, changes are made to manage funds for the awards. media type="youtube" key="HjTLW7RsVcc" height="385" width="480"

=**Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program ** *** **=

 Federally Funded Program. The federal government makes grants to the States who provide scholarships to outstanding high school seniors who show promise of continued academic achievement. This is a highly competitive scholarship with a maximum annual award of $1500. High school principals/district personnel may nominate one applicant per high school, by a date specified by the FDOE, who will compete with a pool of regional applicants to be considered for a potential award. Nominated applicants are ranked and awarded by the FDOE according to eligibility requirements and available funding. This scholarship may be used at any postsecondary institution in the U.S. that accepts TitleIV funding. · [|Robert C. Byrd Fact Sheet] · [|End of the Year Report 2003-2004] · [|End of the Year Report 2008-2009] · [|Federal Funding Status]

=**Rosewood Family Scholarship Program **=

Eligible students must be direct descendants of Rosewood families affected by the incidents of January 1923 in Rosewood, Florida. This scholarship provides scholarship assistance to a maximum of 25 students per year to attend full-time at eligible state universities, public community colleges, public postsecondary vocational technical schools. · [|Rosewood Family Fact Sheet] · [|Florida Statute] · [|End of the Year Report 2003-2004] · <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">[|End of the Year Report 2008-2009] · <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">[|History of Rosewood Incident]

=Scholarships for Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans and Service Members=

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Provides scholarship assistance for dependent children and unmarried spouses of Florida veterans or service members who either: died as a result of service-connected injuries, diseases, or disabilities sustained while on active duty, or have been verified by the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs as having service-connected 100% total and permanent disabilities. This scholarship is also available to dependent children whose parent is classified as a prisoner of war or missing in action by the Armed Forces of the U.S. or in the capacity of civilian personnel captured while serving with the consent or authorization of the U.S. Government during wartime service. · <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">[|Scholarships for Children and Spouses] · <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">[|Florida Statute] · <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">[|End of the Year Report 2003-2004] · <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">[|End of the Year Report 2008-2009]

=**<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Talented Twenty Program **=

** † ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> The Talented Twenty Program is part of the Governor's Equity in Education Plan, and is a need based program. It is not a scholarship or grant program. It is instead an opportunity for students in the top twenty percent of their high school graduation class to receive priority consideration for state universities admissions and need-based financial aid. Students eligible for the Talented Twenty Program are guaranteed admission to one of the eleven state universities and are given priority funding from the Florida Student Assistance Grant (FSAG). The FSAG program is a need-based grant; therefore, Talented Twenty students must meet FSAG eligibility requirements in order to be eligible for priority funding. Eligible students are guaranteed admission at one of the state universities, however they are not guaranteed admission to the campus of choice.

· <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">[|Talented Twenty Fact Sheet] · <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">[|Appearance and Reality in the Sunshine State]

=**<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Access to Better Learning and Education Grant Program (ABLE ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">) **=

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Approved in 2003. Students eligible for ABLE must be FL residents and attending any of the 12 for-profit and non-profit/private, regionally accredited institutions. Other criteria include: full-time status in a baccalaureate program, however students enrolled as theology or divinity programs are not eligible. Presently, $986 was awarded to a student who me the ABLE eligibility requirements for the 2009-2010 academic school year. · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">[|ABLE Fact Sheet] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">ABLE and the FL Senate - [|Assessment of ABLE] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">ABLE in the news - [|State Tuition is a Good Investment] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">[|End of Year Report ABLE 2008-09] > >
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">►The FL Department of Education offer two specific reimbursement programs, intended for teachers in critical teacher shortage (CTS) areas: **

**Critical Teacher Shortage Loan Forgiveness Program**

· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">FL Department of Education, Office of Research and Evaluation - Critical Teacher Shortage Areas · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) – <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|Teacher Reimbursement Programs for Recruitment and Retention] = =

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">FL teachers with outstanding undergraduate and graduate school loans are eligible to receive aid under the Critical Teacher Shortage Loan Forgiveness Program. Under the guidelines of the program, a recipient must be teaching for the first time in a critical teacher shortage (CTS) area in the state of FL. The program awards up to $2500 per year towards undergraduate loans, and up to $5000 per year for graduate loans. Overall, teachers can be awarded up to $10,000 while in the program. · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|CTSLF Fact Sheet] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of Year Report CTSLF 2003-04] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of Year Report CTSLF 2008-09]

=**<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Critical Teacher Shortage Tuition Reimbursement Program **=

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Critical Teacher Shortage Tuition Reimbursement Program aids in repayment of undergraduate and graduate courses needed for teaching in cts areas. Those eligible may receive up to $702 or $78 per credit hour (limited to 9 hours per school year). Overall, teachers are eligible for 36 credit hours, for a total award of up to $2808. According to the Florida Department of Education, the average amount awarded in 2007-08 was $110, equating to $15 per credit hour or 19 percent of the maximum award.

· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">FL Department of State -[|State Library and Archives of Florida] · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|CTSTR Fact Sheet] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of Year Report CTSTR 2003-04] [|End of Year Report CTSTR 2008-09]

**Cost of Attendance and Adult Norm-Referenced Disability Testing**

This program is not a scholarship or a grant but an oportunity, documented under the Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, by which the cost of a student's disability testing can be covered under their institution's Cost of Attendance (COA). Students interested in the opportunity must meet the following criteria: Florida residency status; have a documented disability under the Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 or the Americans with Disabilites Act of 1990; their institution requires adult norm-referenced testing for learning accomodations; enrolled in at least six credit hours per term in an approved degree, certificate or diploma program. · COOANRDT Fact Sheet · Florida  Statute

=<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">First Generation Matching Grant Program =

· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|First Generation Matching Grant Program Fact Sheet] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of the Year Report 2006-2007] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of the Year Report 2008-2009] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|First Generation Facts from UCF]
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">The First Generation Matching Grant Program is a need based grant program available to degree- seeking, Florida resident undergraduate students whose parents have not earned baccalaureate or higher degree. Eligible students must demonstrate substantial financial need. State funds are contingent upon matching contributions from private sources on a one to one dollar basis. Award amount is based upon eligible student’s need assessment after any scholarship or grant aid. This is a decentralized program whose application process, deadlines, eligibility and award amount is determined by the participating institution. **

=<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">William L. Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant Program (FRAG) = <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The William L. Boyd Florida Resident Access Grant Program provides tuition assistance to undergraduate students attending eligible private, non-profit Florida college or university. It is a non need-based program that was devised to bridge the gap between public and independent institutions. It was created in 1997 and the original name was the Tuition Voucher Program. It was renamed after William L. Boyd IV who represented the individual colleges and lobbied for the program. · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|William L. Boyd, IV, Florida Resident Access Grant Program Fact Sheet] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of the Year Report 2003-2004] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of the Year Report 2008-2009] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|Cost Benefit Analysis]

=<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Florida Public Postsecondary Career Education Student Assistance Grant Program (FSAG-CE) =

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Florida Public Postsecondary Career Education Student Assistance Grant Program is a need-based grant program available to Florida residents enrolled in certificate programs at community colleges or career centers. It was created to help these students who have no access to state need-based financial aid. It was designed to help train the Florida Workforce whose jobs will require more than a high school degree, but less than a baccalaureate degree. Awards are from <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">$200- $2,069 per year. · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|Florida Public Postsecondary Career Education Student Assistance Grant Program Fact Sheet] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of the Year Report 2003-2004] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of the Year Report 2008-2009]

=<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Florida Student Assistance Grant = **†**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Florida Student Assistance Grant (FSAG) Program is a need-based grant program available to degree-seeking, resident, undergraduate students who demonstrate substantial financial need and are enrolled in participating postsecondary institutions. For a student to obtain the FSAG, they need to file the FAFSA, and it is up to the institution how much award a student gets ranging from $200- $2,069.

· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|FSAG Fact Sheet] · [|FSAG at UCF]

=Florida Work Experience Program=

The Florida Work Experience Program (FWEP) is a need-based program providing eligible Florida students work experiences to complement and reinforce their educational and career goals. FWEP is a decentralized state of Florida program, which means that each participating college, university, community college, career center operated by a district school board, and educator preparation institute determines application procedures, deadlines, student eligibility, and award amount. Funding is based on the number of hours a student worked. Students receive the award funding directly from the employer.

· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">FWEP Fact Sheet · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of Year Report FWEP 2003-04] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of Year Report FWEP 2008-09]

= José Martí Scholarship Challenge Grant Fund =

The Jose Marti Scholarship Grant Fund is a need-based merit scholarship that provides financial assistance to eligible students of Hispanic origin who will attend Florida public or eligible private institutions. Applicants for undergraduate study must apply during their senior year of high school. Graduate students may apply, but the priority for award is given to graduating high school seniors. The number of new awards made each year is subject to contributions from private sources and funds appropriated by the Florida Legislature.

· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Jose Marti Fact Sheet · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of Year Report JM 2003-04] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of Year Report JM 2008-09] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|Biography of Jose Marti and Education- UNESCO]

=<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Mary McLeod Bethune Scholarship = **<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">* <span style="color: #c0504d; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">† **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Mary McLeod Bethune (MMB) Scholarship is available to undergraduate students who meet scholastic requirements, demonstrate financial need, and attend either Bethune-Cookman University, Edward Waters College, Florida A&M University, or Florida Memorial University. Available funds are contingent upon matching contributions from private sources on behalf of eligible institutions. MMB is a decentralized state of Florida program, which means that each participating institution determines application procedures, deadlines, and student eligibility. · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|MMB Fact Sheet] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of Year Report MMB 2003-04] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|End of Year Report MMB 2008-09] · <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[|Biography of Mary McLeod Bethune] Eligible Institutions

=<span style="color: #5f497a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Reaching out to students- =

How has Florida state aid affected you? <span style="color: #0f243e; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">Facebook Group <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">: [|Florida Student Financial Aid]

= Who benefits from Florida’s state aid programs? = The state of Florida set aside $590 million to be spent on scholarships and grants for Florida students in the 2008-2009 budget year.1 Who does this money go to?

Six out of the 16 Florida state aid programs are designed specifically to help students who can demonstrate financial need: Talented Twenty, Florida Student Access Grants, Florida Work Experience Program, Florida Public Postsecondary Career Education Student Assistance Grant Program, First Generation Matching Grant Program, and the Mary McLeod Bethune Scholarship Program. These grant and scholarship programs disbursed a total of over $150 million to 124,401 needy students in Florida for the 2008-2009 school year.2 Only one of the Florida state aid programs is specifically set aside to help minority populations- the Jose Marti Scholarship Program is specifically available only to students of Hispanic descent. This program disbursed a total of $94,000 to 50 students for the 2008-2009 school year 2.

Only one of the Florida state aid programs seems to be designed to help non-traditional students. The Florida Public Postsecondary Career Education Student Assistance Grant Program (FSAG-CE) is a need-based program designed to help students enrolled in a certificate program at participating community colleges or career centers operated by district school boards. Many non-traditional students seek out career certificate programs if they are returning to school or if they do not start school immediately after high school. This grant program awarded $11.3 million to 13,010 students.2

Bright Futures is the largest of the Florida state aid programs. Bright Futures is awarded to students who demonstrate high academic ability through their high school GPA and their SAT or ACT score. $430 million dollars was disbursed to 169,366 students for the 2008-2009 school year. Students from all backgrounds receive Bright Futures scholarships. Females received 59.7% of the Bright Futures scholarships awarded, while men received the remaining 40.3%. The average Bright Futures award per student was about $2,500 for either gender. As for ethnic background, white students made up 65% of the awards for Bright Futures for the 2008-2009 year. Hispanics made up the next largest group at 15.9%, and the rest of the awards were split between Blacks, Asian/Pacific Islanders, Native American/Alaska Natives, and those who identified as “Other.”2 These trends show that the majority of state aid in Florida is perhaps being funneled to those students who are least in need of financial aid for college. A study done by researchers at the University of North Florida looked at households of varying economic status to see how much they paid into the Bright Futures program through participating in the Florida Lottery, and how much benefit they received from the Bright Futures program in terms of scholarships. The study found that households with a higher socioeconomic status (those that were white, well-educated, and wealthy) gained on average a benefit of almost $2,200. Lower socioeconomic households (those that were minority, lesser-educated, and lower-income) incurred a cost of about $700. Two reasons for the disparity between the two groups include the propensity for lower socioeconomic households to play the lottery more, and also the tendency to only score well enough on the SAT or ACT to receive the Florida Medallion Scholarship(formerly the 75%) versus the Florida Academic Scholarship (formerly the 100%). Therefore, it seems as if the Bright Futures Scholarship program may in fact be a way for the lower-income households to subsidize the education of the middle class and wealthy in Florida.3

= The Future of Florida’s State Aid Programs = Governor Charlie Crist has recommended appropriations of $568 million for state aid for higher education for the 2010-2011 year. This is a decrease of $22 million from the 2008-2009 year. The First Generation in College Matching Grant program would lose $1.15 million (or 14% of the previous year funding), the Jose Marti Scholarship program would lose $111,000 (or 41%of the previous year funding); and the Mary McLeod Bethune Scholarship would lose $65,700 (or almost 10% of the previous year funding). Bright Futures is facing a loss of $17.3 million (or 4% of the previous year funding). 1

However, not all of Florida’s state aid programs will see cuts. Some of the state aid programs are expecting an increased need of service, and funds should be allocated to meet those needs. A total of $14.2 million is being requested to serve an additional 12,828 students who would be eligible for the Florida Student Assistant Grants (FSAGs), the Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans, and the Florida Work Experience Program.1

The Florida Bright Futures Program is well on its way to bankrupting itself due to the increases in tuition combined with the decrease in lottery sales in recent years. Some changes have already been made in order to help keep the program alive, such as: · Changing the award from a % amount to a fixed amount, so that schools can raise tuition to increase revenue without increasing the state’s bill · Requiring students to repay Bright Futures money used on a course that the student drops · Removing the School Related Expenses stipend from the Florida Academic Scholars award · Requiring students to complete 24 credit hours per year in order to remain eligible for the full time award- this forces students to finish their program of study faster, but also double-penalizes a student who drops a class if it drops them below full-time status

However, it is unlikely that these changes will be enough to keep Bright Futures afloat for the long term. Therefore, more changes are currently being proposed to save the Bright Futures program: · Increasing the test score requirements for each level of Bright Futures award · Increasing the GPA required and credit hours required to remain in good standing with the program · Counting credits earned in high school against the total credits paid for by Bright Futures · Only paying for courses required by the student’s degree program · Requiring students who leave the state after graduating college to pay back the money they used from Bright Futures · Change the program from a merit-based program to a need-based program · Change the program to a loan forgiveness or tuition reimbursement program (so as to only pay for students who succeed)

1People’s Budget- State Aid 2Florida Student Scholarship Grants Programs End of Year Reports 2008-2009 3Stranahan, Harriet and Borg, Mary. “Some Futures are Brighter than Others: The Net Benefits Received by Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Recipients” **//__Public Finance Review,__//** 2004, Volume 31 (1), pp. 105-126. Retrieved from []

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